Crowded at the Parks

[WilsonFlyer]

I keep seeing a lot of posts expressing feelings that the parks are unusually crowded so I thought I'd add a couple of comments to consider.

BTW, if we're in a recession, you couldn't tell it when I was there mid-April either. LOL

The value of the US dollar is at an all-time low internationally. We live in a world economy now. It's not like it was 25 years ago.

While I've always noticed a high number of international visitors at the parks, it did seem unusually high to me this time. The value of the dollar is the reason; or at least part of it.

Consider this. We stayed at POR this time (just bought into DVC this trip so hopefully, this will be our last time throwing money away at a hotel but anyway...). In the room next to us was a very nice couple from the UK with two daughters. we got to talking out on the balcony one afternoon while our 3-YO DD was nappin'. they told us that they had priced DL Paris and WDW and that they came to WDW because it was almost exactly HALF as much as going to gay Pari. That was considering airfare and EVERYTHING per them. It's a math problem and the value of the dollar.

I did notice what I perceived to be even more international travelers in the parks than usual as I said above. I suspect this is the reason. It may not get better anytime soon until our economy gets back on the right track (assuming it's off track but that's another story and not for this forum, I suppose).

Just some random thoughts to consider. The parks may continue to be busier than usual for a while, even during what used to be slower times.

 

[Desnik]

We were just there April 27 to May 1st. I couldn't agree with you more! We made the same observations with the international tourist. It was also much busier than we expected.

 

[Inkmahm]

I keep seeing a lot of posts expressing feelings that the parks are unusually crowded so I thought I'd add a couple of comments to consider.

BTW, if we're in a recession, you couldn't tell it when I was there mid-April either. LOL

The value of the US dollar is at an all-time low internationally. We live in a world economy now. It's not like it was 25 years ago.

While I've always noticed a high number of international visitors at the parks, it did seem unusually high to me this time. The value of the dollar is the reason; or at least part of it.

Consider this. We stayed at POR this time (just bought into DVC this trip so hopefully, this will be our last time throwing money away at a hotel but anyway...). In the room next to us was a very nice couple from the UK with two daughters. we got to talking out on the balcony one afternoon while our 3-YO DD was nappin'. they told us that they had priced DL Paris and WDW and that they came to WDW because it was almost exactly HALF as much as going to gay Pari. That was considering airfare and EVERYTHING per them. It's a math problem and the value of the dollar.

I did notice what I perceived to be even more international travelers in the parks than usual as I said above. I suspect this is the reason. It may not get better anytime soon until our economy gets back on the right track (assuming it's off track but that's another story and not for this forum, I suppose).

Just some random thoughts to consider. The parks may continue to be busier than usual for a while, even during what used to be slower times.

I hope you're right! Now that I've put up with the crowds at WDW in March and April, I'm headed to Disneyland Paris at the end of this month. I hope it is much less crowded than I've read about because everyone came to WDW instead, but I'm not counting on it.

 

[msabol01]

I was also there April 27th to May 2 and while at the MK on the 30th, we didn't wait more than 10 minutes for any ride, including the popular ones such as Space Mountain, Splash mountain and Peter Pan. That being said there was a high ratio of foreign visitors in my opinion.